Schwartz nails it- Looking in the mirror

I applaud Schwartz for his perspective piece. I also accuse him of borderline plagiarism ;)

-- "I've been questioning my season ticket renewal since the 2010 nightmare but always broke down and begrudgingly bought in "for one more season to see how it goes". Not to mention, my wife liked going and, knowing what lemmings Iowa fans are, I didn't want to forfeit my place come the day this regime is gone and I could look forward to competitive, entertaining, play-to-win football." [ ME , 9-14-2014: http://hawkeyenation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=66259&page=6&p=1328067#post1328067

-- "
I get that change is hard for so many Iowans and there's some weird inferiority complex rooted in the psyche of the fan base that fears the "risky" "what-if" rather than embraces the opportunity to go for success (all those, "it could be worse", folks). [ ME, 9-15-2014: http://hawkeyenation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=66318&page=3&p=1328558#post1328558

-- "
Is this just butt-hurt bluster, lingering a day or 2 longer because it was a REALLY inferior team named ISU, or, is this deeper, eye-opening frustration and realization of the futility that is KirkFer+Gergster? You know, the kind that actually inspires action?" ...
-- "
Will it revert to status quo of the last 6 - 8 years, where the Pollys pull their heads out and start chirping while the fence humpers back off toward their usual "maybe he will change" stance just because they watch 3 quarters of competent football ... " [ ME, 9-15-2014: http://hawkeyenation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=66342&p=1328625#post1328625

-- "
You "superfans" are too busy collecting your participation certificates and choking on your myopia that you continuously fail to recognize how your Captain minimizes, mismanages and blatantly disregards those positives. How about changing up your regular routine? Rather than brush off your knees and pull up your trousers after another Saturday double-team by KirkFer and Gergster, maybe actually take some pride in the team you purport to support?
That means expecting competent performance that is commensurate with capability. That means expecting that some of that potential that really does exist is actually realized and some of those positives that really do exist are actually utilized and maximized. That means that if the person in charge of all of those assets and qualities and resources continues to squander them, someone else should be given the privelege of managing them toward success. Or, you can simply carry on like you always do ... content with being an impotent participant who supports underachievement and cheers for mediocrity.
You all think because you're blindly supportive and point out the positives you're the "true fans". FACT is, you're awful fans who contribute to hurting the program and success of the team because you consistently accept and forgive bad performance ... time, after time, after time, after season, after season, after season."
[ ME, 9-16-2014: http://hawkeyenation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=66356&page=2&p=1328962#post1328962

-- "It's Tuesday. The Pollys are already starting to come to the defense of their Captain. I'm not buying this "fever pitch" claim until I see some sustained change on the field and on the sidelines.
Until then, I expect the same rerun of KirkFer pacification -- CJ gets TWO series, both built to fail but, to the KirkFer's chagrin, he makes something out of nothing and scores. "Gut" return to JR, with numerous vertical shots. Lose by a field goal but, gosh, we were competitive against a tough Pitt team and there's plenty to build on. The Pollys chirp; the fence humpers get back on until the end of the season. The furor dies down during the bye week. Slowly return to the horizontal game with Bullock dancing into 3-yard losses. Underachieving season but just enough to be forgiven and forgotten during the offseason. Repeat in 2015.
It's the classic cycle of abuse endured and / or tolerated by Hawk fans for most of the past 6 - 8 years."
[ ME, 9-16-2014: http://hawkeyenation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=66322&page=2&p=1328989#post1328989

-- "1 hire from becoming Illinois. " May be true and at the same time its PAY not to lose just as KF play's not to lose.

"Whoever continues to believe this perpetuates a disrespect and disservice to Iowa football. It's such a myopic speculation that disregards the condition of and resources available to the Iowa football program. Not to mention, it's just a flat-out false comparison.

Only bad fans with little pride in their football team would buy into such a fallacy that promotes clinging to known futility and underachieving mediocrity rather than striving for performance commensurate with capability." [ ME, 9-16-2014: http://hawkeyenation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=66360&page=3&p=1329119#post1329119

I'm just sayin' ... I've been writing this piece all week.
 
So, squeaky wheels need to keep on squeaking. Use facts about our offense. The statistics and facts are readily available here on Hawkeye Nation: poor offensive statistics, unintelligible offensive schemes, poor time clock management, bad risk/reward decisions. Speak it. Address it. Bring it up. Don't settle for ineptitude and mediocrity. Stop allowing Kirk to utter B.S. about execution. Of course it's about execution, but what is the offense trying to execute? That is the question.
 
This is a terrible way to look at whats wrong with Iowa football. If anything the best thing with Iowa football is its dedicated fanbase. When fans walk away and lose that passion that's when you end up like Illinois or to use your MLB reference the KC Royals. Fans should be proud to pack Kinnick every week regardless of win/loss. Iowans aren't fair weathered fans they just want their dedication rewarded with a good team. Iowa football is a source of pride for many Iowans; the president, Athletic Director and Head Coach need to realize that and give us a serviceable offense... That's all we ask.
 
This is a terrible way to look at whats wrong with Iowa football. If anything the best thing with Iowa football is its dedicated fanbase. When fans walk away and lose that passion that's when you end up like Illinois or to use your MLB reference the KC Royals. Fans should be proud to pack Kinnick every week regardless of win/loss. Iowans aren't fair weathered fans they just want their dedication rewarded with a good team. Iowa football is a source of pride for many Iowans; the president, Athletic Director and Head Coach need to realize that and give us a serviceable offense... That's all we ask.

I disagree. Basketball fans did it with Lick and it essentially got him fired. We're back to packing Carver again. Iowa fans are loyal, but not stupid. They'll only put up with this for so long....
 
The bottom line for me is what is the identity of the product named "Iowa Football" designed to be? I've been consuming it for decades, only to see the formulaic mix changing over the recent years, and frankly, I don't like the taste of what I'm drinking anymore. Sure, it still may have the Iowa football label on the bottle but is it the genuine product? In my view, it is not and I don't want to keep buying it, I want the old product back.

Too many people have no idea what the genuine article is (for example, original Coca Cola) and are perfectly content to drink the new version. Well, not me, I know what the product was designed to be.
 
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Iowa fans will pack Kinnick regardless of W/L's. It's not that.

It's GD's boring ineffective prevent offense that's driving people away. Hawk fans, hell all fans, want competitive football. Iowa is not competitive with this paint-dry style.
 
If it's the fans fault for not winning more, what does everyone propose to solve the problem? Boycotts of games? Protests at KF press conferences and practices? Or is it enough to gather our best brains on this discussion board and whine and cry until all the butthurt goes away? Pathetic.
 
If it's the fans fault for not winning more, what does everyone propose to solve the problem? Boycotts of games? Protests at KF press conferences and practices? Or is it enough to gather our best brains on this discussion board and whine and cry until all the butthurt goes away? Pathetic.

We just gotta execute
 
If it's the fans fault for not winning more, what does everyone propose to solve the problem? Boycotts of games? Protests at KF press conferences and practices? Or is it enough to gather our best brains on this discussion board and whine and cry until all the butthurt goes away? Pathetic.
We have to spread rumors about players farting at inopportune times.
 
I applaud Schwartz for his perspective piece. I also accuse him of borderline plagiarism ;)

-- "I've been questioning my season ticket renewal since the 2010 nightmare but always broke down and begrudgingly bought in "for one more season to see how it goes". Not to mention, my wife liked going and, knowing what lemmings Iowa fans are, I didn't want to forfeit my place come the day this regime is gone and I could look forward to competitive, entertaining, play-to-win football." [ ME , 9-14-2014: http://hawkeyenation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=66259&page=6&p=1328067#post1328067

-- "
I get that change is hard for so many Iowans and there's some weird inferiority complex rooted in the psyche of the fan base that fears the "risky" "what-if" rather than embraces the opportunity to go for success (all those, "it could be worse", folks). [ ME, 9-15-2014: http://hawkeyenation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=66318&page=3&p=1328558#post1328558

-- "
Is this just butt-hurt bluster, lingering a day or 2 longer because it was a REALLY inferior team named ISU, or, is this deeper, eye-opening frustration and realization of the futility that is KirkFer+Gergster? You know, the kind that actually inspires action?" ...
-- "
Will it revert to status quo of the last 6 - 8 years, where the Pollys pull their heads out and start chirping while the fence humpers back off toward their usual "maybe he will change" stance just because they watch 3 quarters of competent football ... " [ ME, 9-15-2014: http://hawkeyenation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=66342&p=1328625#post1328625

-- "
You "superfans" are too busy collecting your participation certificates and choking on your myopia that you continuously fail to recognize how your Captain minimizes, mismanages and blatantly disregards those positives. How about changing up your regular routine? Rather than brush off your knees and pull up your trousers after another Saturday double-team by KirkFer and Gergster, maybe actually take some pride in the team you purport to support?
That means expecting competent performance that is commensurate with capability. That means expecting that some of that potential that really does exist is actually realized and some of those positives that really do exist are actually utilized and maximized. That means that if the person in charge of all of those assets and qualities and resources continues to squander them, someone else should be given the privelege of managing them toward success. Or, you can simply carry on like you always do ... content with being an impotent participant who supports underachievement and cheers for mediocrity.
You all think because you're blindly supportive and point out the positives you're the "true fans". FACT is, you're awful fans who contribute to hurting the program and success of the team because you consistently accept and forgive bad performance ... time, after time, after time, after season, after season, after season."
[ ME, 9-16-2014: http://hawkeyenation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=66356&page=2&p=1328962#post1328962

-- "It's Tuesday. The Pollys are already starting to come to the defense of their Captain. I'm not buying this "fever pitch" claim until I see some sustained change on the field and on the sidelines.
Until then, I expect the same rerun of KirkFer pacification -- CJ gets TWO series, both built to fail but, to the KirkFer's chagrin, he makes something out of nothing and scores. "Gut" return to JR, with numerous vertical shots. Lose by a field goal but, gosh, we were competitive against a tough Pitt team and there's plenty to build on. The Pollys chirp; the fence humpers get back on until the end of the season. The furor dies down during the bye week. Slowly return to the horizontal game with Bullock dancing into 3-yard losses. Underachieving season but just enough to be forgiven and forgotten during the offseason. Repeat in 2015.
It's the classic cycle of abuse endured and / or tolerated by Hawk fans for most of the past 6 - 8 years."
[ ME, 9-16-2014: http://hawkeyenation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=66322&page=2&p=1328989#post1328989

-- "1 hire from becoming Illinois. " May be true and at the same time its PAY not to lose just as KF play's not to lose.

"Whoever continues to believe this perpetuates a disrespect and disservice to Iowa football. It's such a myopic speculation that disregards the condition of and resources available to the Iowa football program. Not to mention, it's just a flat-out false comparison.

Only bad fans with little pride in their football team would buy into such a fallacy that promotes clinging to known futility and underachieving mediocrity rather than striving for performance commensurate with capability." [ ME, 9-16-2014: http://hawkeyenation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=66360&page=3&p=1329119#post1329119

I'm just sayin' ... I've been writing this piece all week.


Yep. STILL nailed it also.
There are many facts out there about the on field performance/stats and otherwise that are damning.

And if you believe, like I do that really only the W matters, ie if Lick won 25 games/yr 54-50, he would still be UI coach, which also must be the way Kirk sees it ... "didn't score enough points this week" then any measure of recent W-L results nothing but mediocre at best. Especially when considering the cupcake OOC and the general weakness of B1G.

We still hope for a Ferentz 3.0.

Just like investing, even a dead cat bounces.
 
So he's calling for all of us to be fair-weather fans? I'm mad as hell about what's going on right now with the program but I won't stop going to or watching games. Why? Because I'm a fan of Iowa and not a specific coach. I grew to detest Alford and got tired of Lickliter but I watched every game and went to those that I could. You support the players and the school. It's the AD's job to hold the coach accountable and not the fans. That article was pure horsecrap and the author knows it. Iowa is able to go to certain bowls because their fans are so loyal. Asking them to turn into fans from other schools who turn their back on teams is embarrassing.
 
Dearest Kurt,

It is exponentially easier to win a football game if you increase your points total.

Sincerely,

Your friend Sanity.
 
This is a terrible way to look at whats wrong with Iowa football. If anything the best thing with Iowa football is its dedicated fanbase. When fans walk away and lose that passion that's when you end up like Illinois or to use your MLB reference the KC Royals. Fans should be proud to pack Kinnick every week regardless of win/loss. Iowans aren't fair weathered fans they just want their dedication rewarded with a good team. Iowa football is a source of pride for many Iowans; the president, Athletic Director and Head Coach need to realize that and give us a serviceable offense... That's all we ask.

As a Sox fan, I have thrown this out with the Cubs over the years. Sox fans will not attend unless the team is good, and that mentality drove Kenny Williams to gut the farm system in trades to try to win each year.....they were competitive but never did reach the World Series again after 2005. Sox have had 7 consecutive years of declining attendance, and they have not magically started to win. Cubs fans have lagged a bit recently,but still come in numbers that allow the Cubs to re-build their farm system and now are on the verge of being contenders in the next few years.

Fans staying away might cause a change, but that change does not mean the team will be better. Then you have a dismal program that struggles to recruit even at the current level. Is this truly a sure-fire approach to improving the program?

I think it is an easy column to write this week...and will get kudos....but not seriously a way to improve the program.
 
So he's calling for all of us to be fair-weather fans? I'm mad as hell about what's going on right now with the program but I won't stop going to or watching games. Why? Because I'm a fan of Iowa and not a specific coach. I grew to detest Alford and got tired of Lickliter but I watched every game and went to those that I could. You support the players and the school. It's the AD's job to hold the coach accountable and not the fans. That article was pure horsecrap and the author knows it. Iowa is able to go to certain bowls because their fans are so loyal. Asking them to turn into fans from other schools who turn their back on teams is embarrassing.

Schwartz et al were simply describing the ongoing situation and recognizing where the motivation for change would originate. Then acknowledging, it ain't gonna happen.

I simply don't agree with that analysis or conclusion.

Barta has no bullets, we are top 10 in cash ... change won't come from him.
Kirk is Kirk. He has unwavering faith in what he is doing.

Maybe this is a good time to acknowledge the change Kirk did implement. He made a change after KOK, it has turned O from mediocre to painfully bad most Saturdays against pathetic competition.
 
If it's the fans fault for not winning more, what does everyone propose to solve the problem? Boycotts of games? Protests at KF press conferences and practices? Or is it enough to gather our best brains on this discussion board and whine and cry until all the butthurt goes away? Pathetic.

What is pathetic? Fans expressing their displeasure with the current state of the program on a message board? Give me a break.

The fact is that most posters on any message board have little to no power in regards to actually making things change.

It is the Gary Barta's and Sally Mason's of the world who have the say so, and they are influenced by the big money donors who probably don't "whine" on message boards.

I have to assume that the donors feel the same way that the average, low donor Hawk fans feel...some prefer status quo, others are unhappy and want a change. The latter are either not "whining" at all in places where in matters (not message boards), or they are not "whining" loudly enough.
 
If it's the fans fault for not winning more, what does everyone propose to solve the problem? Boycotts of games? Protests at KF press conferences and practices? Or is it enough to gather our best brains on this discussion board and whine and cry until all the butthurt goes away? Pathetic.

Look, if certain fans want to support mediocrity, that's their prerogative. However, if they were aware of what Iowa football was prior to the KF/GD era, they would likely not be pleased with what they are seeing. The fact is this board gets noticed, even if KF and GB don't read it they are being confronted with the same types of questions from the professional media.

I don't buy into the idea that it's the fans that have enabled the mediocrity that has entered into the program, that's placing too much responsibility on them instead of where it belongs - the coaching staff. However, although KF is not directly accountable to the fans, he manages a product that is based on its entertainment value, and if the more discerning fans are telling him the product is stale, he better start listening to their message.

Can you imagine a CEO of any other industry acting in such a manner if the business' main product was being questioned? Do you think he would be able to say, that's business, just need to work harder, have to execute better, etc.? I can imagine such a response but their board of directors would be searching for a new CEO shortly.

Finally, this is not just a recent development, it is the continuation of the same pathology we have seen before. GB needs to step up to address this issue with KF now; waiting to discuss it after the season is over is a dereliction of duty.
 

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